Elfen Lied: The Last Diclonius (Re-published)
by EL619
Summary: A re-submission of my first Elfen Lied story. Lucy has returned to Kohta, and she's been living happily ever since, hoping to put her dark past behind her. But sometimes, you cannot escape your fate. Kakuzawa has not yet given up on finding Lucy, and is now willing to resort to extreme measures to find her, even if it means releasing a diclonius more dangerous than any other.
1. Chapter 1

The room sat in infinite darkness. A black veil spread to every corner, eating out every last ounce of light. It was a piercing darkness. An endless void that could penetrate the very soul, drying up all hope until only despair remains. It was also eerily silent. As if the shadows could suck out all sound from the air. It felt like death lurked inside, waiting to strike on any unsuspecting victim. Such a haunting environment would have been maddening to anyone else. But for the chambers sole occupant, it was all he had every known.

He sat calmly among the familiar shadows. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional cry of the chains that bound him to the wall as he shifted his body for better comfort. Judging by how long it had been since the florescent lights had gone out, he assumed it was some time in the late evening. He hardly ever slept. He was content to spend his evenings in the lonely, yet friendly dark.

He had spent the entirety of his life on this island research facility. Abandoned by his parents at birth, he had been subjected to torturous experiments day by day. And every evening he'd pray for death's sweet freedom. Prayed that he would fall asleep and never wake up. But as time went on, he slowly grew more and more accustomed to the conditions of his life. Now he accepted the truth of his existence. He would always suffer. That was his fate. It was the fate of all diclonius. They would never be able to find happiness. At least so long as the humans existed.

The laboratory doors on the opposite side of the room sprang to life, a small portal of light cutting through the dark veil. The door of light resembled that of the light leading one out of hell and into paradise. After a moment's stillness, the lights above flashed on, shattering the darkness in an instant. He had to squint his eyes to protect his pupils from the sudden illumination. The sound of footsteps on the tile floor began to make their way toward him. As the steps grew louder with every step, he was curious as to who would be visiting him so late at night. After all, access to him was very restricted. Whoever they were, he was certain of two things. One, they didn't sleep much either. And two, the were very, very important.

The feet came to a halt a few meters in front of him, he gingerly opened his eyes to let them adjust themselves to the light. Towering over him was the figure of an old man in an expensive looking business suit. His wrinkled body and gray hair were common for a man of his age, but it was his face that betrayed all other features. His eyes were sunken, and darker then the shadows that had previously engulfed the room. Evidence to his colder then steel soul. His skin was so tightly stretched across his face you could almost see every contour and every detail of his skull. He looked more like his skin was to small for his bones. And on his skeletal face he wore his usual demonic smile. This was the face of Director Kakuzawa.

* * *

Kakuzawa stared down at the body of Number 86. He was naked, and his skin was covered with dried blood. He never saw it necessary to provide his "subjects" with the dignity of clothing. If 86 was bothered by his exposure, he didn't show it. _Number 86_.

"Good evening," he said in his usual piercing tone that exuded his dominance.

"Good evening...Director," 86 replied in a casual tone, as if he had come down here to strike up normal conversation.

Number 86 was an interesting specimen on so many different levels. He looked like most diclonius with his signature vectors, horned protrusions, sharp red eyes and pink hair. But 86 was very different. 86 had been a very cooperative specimen, much like Number 7. He had never retaliated against any human. And he had never resisted any of their experiments, seemingly shockingly casual about everything. But more importantly, he was the only male diclonius on record. Even more impressive, he was a _pure_ diclonius and not a silpelit. _Just like Lucy_. 86 was a miracle of evolution. Both their births were confirmation enough of humanities downfall. They were the Adam and Eve of the next phase of humanity. And Kakuzawa had been chosen to sit at the throne of God.

"I have a job I need you to do for me," Kakuzawa said getting right to the point. He hated using diversionary tactics in conversation. He was against the idea of using 86 for this mission. But now he was getting desperate.

"Oh," 86 replied nonchalantly.

"I need you to find Lucy." A smile sung its way across 86's face. He waited for a reply, but after a moment of silence he decided to continue, "She still has yet to be apprehended. Every attempt made to capture her has failed. I would like to employ your unique abilities." The smile on 86's face transformed itself into a smug expression. The Director knew 86 was enjoying his moment of helplessness. He hated the feeling as well. It was an emotion he wasn't accustomed to feeling. Normally he was the one above all others. The puppet master pulling the strings. He didn't enjoy being made to look like a fool. But 86 would not fail him. And then, he would back were he was meant to be.

* * *

Number 86 looked up into the eyes of the old man he despised. He harbored no ill will toward anyone here, despite all the misery they had put him and the others through. But Kakuzawa was different. Only a human like him could be so arrogant. He had visited him on multiple occasions, and every time he would regale him with boring tales about his future plans for the diclonius and mankind. 86 was his only true confidant. He was as deluded as he was crazy. As if he could be a God. It was only a matter of time before he would die at the hands (he laughed internally at the irony) at one of the creatures he believed he could control.

His first impulse was to spit on his well-shined shoes. But the Director had said all he needed to say to entice 86's interest. _Lucy_. 86 had never met her personally, but he had heard enough. He remembered the first day she came her. The pressure he had felt in his head was so intense, it felt like a vice grip squeezing the fluids from his brain. Her presence felt intoxicating. He could sense it all. Her abilities, her powers, her sadness. She sounded magnificent.

Somewhere in-between his thoughts Kakuzawa had released him from the restraints chaining him to the wall. He examined his newly freed hands, as if they weren't really his own. After the truth and sank in, he rose to his feet to stand at his full height, standing eye to eye with the demon director. Then the voice came back.

_**Kill them**_, it commanded him, _**Kill them all!**_

It took nearly every ounce of mental prowess to defy it, and was soon able to quite it.

"I want you to go find her, and bring her back." He sounded almost polite in his request. The two just stood in silence, starring deep into the other eyes. Their eyes were like daggers. Two foes doing battle with their minds.

"Where is she?" 86 asked.

"Kamakura," Kakuzawa said flatly. 86 brushed his shoulder length hair out of his face then walked past the Director without a second glance. By the lab entrance stood two aids to help him in his preparations, and a small contingent of armed guards. About half way across the room, the Director called back to him.

"I trust you won't fail me," he said, adding just the faintest hint of a threat. 86's only reply was the soft clap of his bare feet against the smooth tile floor.

* * *

The cherry blossoms were in their full bloom as they sent gentle showers of pink petals on the streets and residents of the Kamakura prefecture. They fell particularly heavy in the garden of a house that had once been a traditional Japanese restaurant. The garden was a breathe of green, yellow, red, and several other colors and hues. Filled with various flowers, shrubs and bushes, decorative stones and a single cherry tree, it was easily the most beautiful part of the house. Sitting beneath the shade of the tree, her back pressed against the bark sat a young woman.

Huddled under the tree, she was entranced by the comfort of her surroundings. The feel of the gentle breeze against her skin. The cooling shade, a protective shield from the powerful sun. And the soft, somewhat melancholy fall of the pink flowers on the grass. This was Lucy's favorite place in the whole house. Whenever Lucy was lonely, scarred or just wanted to be left to herself, she would always retreat to the sanctuary of her tree.

Here she felt calm and protected. As if the natural beauty could banish all her nightmares and memories. It had been a few months since Lucy's return to Kaede House, and to say it was awkward would have been the most profound of understatements. They were still remembering a face that no longer existed. A face of beauty and innocence, replaced by one of beauty and tragedy.

She felt so distant from everyone. Nana and Lucy's relationship had, if possible, gotten worse since she returned. There was a mutual, unspoken dislike between the two diclonius women since their duel that neither one seemed willing to let go of. She didn't like Yuka that much either. She thought Yuka was nagging, controlling, and overly emotional. The two hardly ever spoke directly anymore. Lucy never felt comfortable when Yuka was around. And Mayu, despite all her attempts to befriend her, Lucy felt nothing but a cold apathy toward her. She was also insufferably positive at times.

Even Kohta felt far away from her. Separated on different a shore, the deepest ocean between them that no one could ever hope to cross safely. Deep down she knew she didn't deserve him. But she still loved him. She loved so completely she felt she might disappear if he stopped being there. And he loved her in return.

But she didn't understand why. Here she was, the merciless killer of both his sister and father. An action born from a jealous stupor. She deserved neither his love, or friendship. Yet he was still by her side. He had forgiven her, but she still had yet to forgive herself. Her self-reproach was so intense it made her physically ill. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. Whenever he was near her, would hold her, or kiss her she was afraid. Afraid she might break him like she had done countless others. Afraid of hurting him again. Afraid of herself. It was funny. The person she loved more then even herself was with her, yet the loneliness she felt all her life was still present inside her heart. A disease, she was beginning to believe, that had no cure.

"Lucy?" His gentle call brought her out of her thoughts. To Lucy there was no greater sound. Like church bells that promised salvation to most condemned soul. He came into view, framed by the doorway that lead into the dining room, his face equipped with his usual playful smile.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked as he stepped out into the garden.

"Just relaxing," she answered back, forcing a smile.

Kohta walked over beside her and sat down next to her, his shoulder brushing smoothly against hers. Lucy felt the heat rise quickly in her face and hoped he didn't notice. _Just like during in the rain_. Kohta took his hand and gave a loving brush of Lucy's silk like hair. She felt his fingers as the ran slowly along her cranium, and over two stumps where her horns once were. They still had yet to grow back. The two just sat in mute silence, simply enjoying the presence of the other. Satisfied to be near the one they loved. Despite her fears, Lucy treasured moments like these. Every kiss, every touch, every moment they shared. She held onto them tightly, afraid they might disappear into faded illusions. Just then, a familiar voice called out from inside the house.

"Kohta, Lucy. Lunch is ready," Yuka yelled out to them. Kohta got up first, bending over to offer his hand to assist Lucy up. Lucy grabbed hold and let him forcefully bring up onto her feet. Another playful smile, and Kohta walked back through the doors, into the house, and toward the prospect of food. Lucy stood there a moment longer, running her fingers over the stumps where Kohta's fingers had been moments ago. As she made her way inside, she quietly prayed that her horns would never grow back.

* * *

Kakuzawa stood gazing out of the window of his gargantuan sized, elegantly decorated office. He stood at the top of the facility, overlooking the precipice and limitless blue horizon. He found it rather symbolic. A king at the top of the mountain, surveying his future kingdom.

He heard the door on the far end behind him open as one of his faceless researchers walked in to stand just a few feet in front of his mahogany desk.

"Sir," the scientist said with a customary bow of respect, "Number 86 has just departed. He should be arriving in Kamakura sometime in the early morning." After 86 was released, he had been cleaned up, given clothes, briefed on his mission, and given a crash course about the outside world he had never seen. It had taken a little over a day to get him fully prepared.

Kakuzawa dismissed the man without every once turning to face him. He had to admit, things had not gone as he originally predicted. The past few months had been littered with one disappointment after the other. The escape of Lucy, the failure of the Special Assault Forces, the lose of Number 7 and 35, Kurama's betrayal. But he would remain adamant in his resolve. 86 would surely succeed where others had failed. 86 was a...unique case. He would be able to reason with her. Both he and Lucy would return, and obediently succumb to his will. Then, his dream would finally be reality. All his clever scheming and secrecy would finally produce results. Kakuzawa closed his eyes and began blissfully dreaming about the future he would forge with his own hand. But that would have to wait till Lucy and 86 returned. Until then, he would have to settle with longing day dreams.

* * *

_A/N_: _Guess whose back? Hello everyone! For those of you who don't remember, but I'm ElfenLied619 (now EL619). I started writing fanfiction a number of years ago, starting with this story of "The Last Diclonius." I planned on finishing a sequel to the story and doing other stories, but fell into a rather long hiatus. But now I'm back and hoping to start writing again! To my old fans, I hope you can forgive my absence. To my new fans, I hope to win you over with great stories that you'll enjoy. Submit reviews and tell me what ya think._

_Much Love,_

_EL619_


	2. Chapter 2

86 stood transfixed on the sandy shore, caught in the early morning glow as cold water swept against his feet. He looked out at the colors of yellow, red, and orange that were now rising out of the distance, merging night with dawn. The magnitude of its beauty was inspirational. Everything was always so much more beautiful when experiencing it for the first time. This was his first sunrise.

86 was still, listening to the echo of the waves beating themselves against the beach. He looked down to examine himself. He was now dressed in a black muscle shirt, worn out blue jeans full of holes, old brown boots, and a red bandana to conceal his horns. They had even taken further precautions to hide whatever might "single him out" by giving him colored contacts and dyeing his hair a raven black, which was tied back into a short ponytail. They had stressed the use of stealth for this mission so much he was surprised his ears hadn't bleed.

_**You shouldn't have ignored me back there...Tomo**_, the voice said.

"Don't call me that," he spat back. Tomo was the name they had finally decided to give him. He guessed they figured it would be much less conspicuous then a number. But he was not about to take on a name given to him by humans.

_**Why? It think it suits you very well**_, the voice said patronizingly. He had to admit, he felt a strange symbolic aura in the name. Like the name would reveal a much deeper meaning to it before the end.

"I still don't like it."

This voice was his only bond. He knew it wasn't real, but that held little, if not no significance. To him, it was his only friend. On the loneliest nights in that dark room, he would talk to it, and it would talk back. Offering words of solace and sympathy. But as he got older, those words turned into an urge for blood. He often wondered whether the voice was his diclonius instincts, or a creation from his own insanity.

_**You should have killed them all once you were free.**_ Tomo decide to ignore the last comment.

"Lucy is close by," Tomo said, hoping to change the subject. Tomo had wondered how he was going obtain her. He was left with a great deal of independence by Kakuzawa. As long as he captured Lucy and brought her back, he didn't care how he did it. And with a quick warning to not draw any unwanted attention, was set off on his holy pilgrimage.

How he would do this was a problem he still had yet to overcome. Detaining her would not be easy. She would obviously resist him. But he was confident he could explain things to her and convince her to comply. But how to approach her?

_**How do you plan to restrain her, **_the voice asked mirroring his exact thoughts.

"I'll think of something," he added coolly.

_**Are you looking forward to finally meeting her?**_

It wasn't surprising how well the voice could read into his mind. He wasn't just looking forward to meeting Lucy. No, that just didn't do justice to the excitement he was feeling. He had heard so much about the almighty and terrible Lucy. The presence he had felt when she was first brought to the facility three years ago was so dark it was intoxicating. He could everything about her. Her power and her suffering as if they were his own. He envisioned what an image of beauty she must be with all her hate and skill. He wasn't just looking forward to it. He was ecstatic about it.

"You have no idea."

Now motivated, Tomo put his boots back on and retied them, making sure to commit the sunrise he was passionately observing to memory. _Maybe I'll watch a few with you Lucy._Then, he set off in search of his love.

* * *

Lucy ran as hard and fast as her sore legs would permit. She didn't know what she was running from, she only knew that whatever it was, she had to escape from it. She was surrounded on all sides by a void that obscured her senses. She didn't even know where she was running to.

_Hey freak, _a cruelly familiar voice called out from nowhere, _You don't get it do you? You're nothing but a monster! You don't belong with anyone!_

Lucy pushed her legs harder, trying to outrun the voices tormenting her.

_Murder, _called out nameless voices from every angle. She pushed her legs harder and harder to the point of numbness. She ran until a severed torso appeared suddenly in front of her. It was the body of a young girl no older then seven, her hair tied up by a pink bow. She laid in a pool of warm blood, the last few seconds of her life immortalized on her face. Her eyes were empty and full of her last tears.

_You're the reason he suffers,_ Kanae said, her corpse stationary and unmoving. _You don't deserve him. You killed his family! YOU KILLED ME!_

Lucy felt a pair of hands tightly grip her shoulders and spin her around. But there was nobody there, save for the cry of a young boy.

_NO MORE! PLEASE STOP IT! I'M BEGGING YOU!_

Lucy winched her eyes shut, trying to will the memories to vanish. When she opened her eyes again, Kanae's body had disappeared, but was replaced by something far worse. Looming before her, ready to pounce, was a figure she didn't recognize. Lucy tried to utilize her vectors, but her mind was paralyzed by fear. His aura felt like fire. As if his insides were ablaze, heat breathing through his pores burning her alive. Before Lucy could lift her gaze to his face, there was a blinding flash, a searing pain inside her head, and a bloodthirsty laughter. Then she fell into oblivion.

Lucy jolted upright in her bed so fast it made her back ache in protest. She glanced quickly from side to side to get a firm grip on her surroundings. Breathing a deep, heavy sigh of relief, she placed her palm over her face. _Just a another dream._ Her white tank top, which was a size too big for her, was soaked in her own perspiration. She had been having a lot of nightmares lately.

Her dreams were often visited by the ghost of her victims, back from death to plague her. But something else worried her this time. When she had seen that giant, she felt a faint, familiar pressure inside her head. In was only for the briefest of microseconds, just barely on the edges of her awareness. But it was so powerful. It felt like a spike being driven into her skull. She wanted to shrug it off as just sensing Nana in the house, but she would have recognized her. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone. And she also wondered who that behemoth of a man was in her sleep. She was regrettably well aquatinted with the faces of those she had killed. So then who was he? And why was he in her dreams?

Lucy turned in her bed to seek the shelter of Kohta's love, only to be cruelly reminded that Kohta was not there. Kohta had offered for them to share a room, but she had politely declined his offer. As much as she wanted to accept, she just wasn't comfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with him. It wasn't because of anything he did, she was just afraid of herself. What if she somehow lose control of herself again? It was nights like this when she wished she had said yes. It was funny. Her own self torture had left a far worse impression then anything she had suffered by human hands.

Lucy rested her head back down on the pillow and pulled the covers in an attempt to get back to sleep. She doubted sleep would return to her.

* * *

By the time the first glimpses of morning filtered through the windows of Kaede house, Nana was already awake, dressed, and making her way down the wooden staircase, trying hard not to step on any squeaky steps in fear of waking the others. Nana was usually the first one up. She would wake up every morning, feed Wanta, and anything else she could do to help jump start the day. Today she thought she'd get breakfast started. She still had a lot of learning to do, but she had improved immensely. It was only recently that she had been trusted enough into the kitchen by herself. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.

But Nana got up early for another reason as well. Before heading downstairs, she would quietly open the rooms of everyone in the house to make sure Kohta, Yuka, and Mayu were ok. And to make sure Lucy was still in her own room. Lucy's presence left Nana in an almost constant state of anxiousness. She didn't trust Lucy. Why should she? Lucy had torn her body apart, all the while pitilessly mocking her. She had slaughtered countless others without hesitation. She was a vicious animal. Plain and simple. There was nothing to trust. But Nana remained silent. Everyone seemed to genuinely seemed to like her, especially Kohta.

But Nana had to be the one to protect them. Papa had asked her to do whatever it took to be happy. Nana planned to honor that. She was determined to protect her friends from any danger. And if that meant having to fight Lucy again at one point, then so be it. Nana was finally happy, and Lucy would not destroy that.

As Nana entered the kitchen, she decide that she have another try at making a "traditional" Japanese breakfast. Or at least that was what Mayu and Yuka had called it. Nana carefully went over the steps again in her head before starting, making sure to not make a mistake. Several of her attempts at cooking had ended in her food being burnt or inedible, with Mayu or Yuka always coming to fix her mess. After systematically studying the steps and double checking twice, she started. She went and pulled out a clean pot from under the stove, paused, then went to filled it up with water. She looked like a child who was going through a critical exam in home economics at school.

Nana heard the door open and close behind her. She didn't need to turn to see who it was. Only one person could open a door so darkly.

"Good morning Lucy," Nana said simply out of good manners. Lucy ignored her greeting, walking straight for the counter, grabbing a fresh apple out of a bowl of fruit, then walking back out of the kitchen. _Nice to see you too! _Before turning her attention back on the rice, Nana decided she was not going to let her guard down today.

* * *

It was still early morning, yet the sidewalks had already filled with throngs of people moving into their daily routines. Thick groups of people standing shoulder to shoulder as shops opened, businesses began their work day, and traffic littered the streets with wails of horns. Tomo walked briskly amongst the compact crowds with no destination, taking right and left turns every couple of blocks. As he did so, he keep tossing in and out ideas on how to capture Lucy, each plan more absurd then the previous. This was more difficult then Tomo had originally anticipated.

Getting Lucy to return with him was going to be one thing, but he also had to find her first. While his natural abilities to sense her could tell him if she was near, they couldn't exactly provide a direct map to her location. Especially while suppressing his own essence from Lucy. It was a little trick he learned at the facility. He had the ability to mask his own diclonius aura. The only problem was that doing so interfered with his own ability to sense others of his race.

Also, he had recently sensed that Number 7 was here as well. Apparently she had survived her encounter with Number 35. This was rather unexpected. And from the pressure in his brain, she was with Lucy. She could be troublesome. He could try to get her to come with him also. But what if she resisted? Number 7, or so he had heard, was rather fond of humans. Things were starting to become increasingly more difficult.

"You wouldn't have any ideas would you," he jokingly asked the voice.

_**You could kill a few people to pass the time.**_ Tomo instantly scolded himself for asking. He should have known better by now.

"And what exactly would that accomplish?"

_**It would be fun.**_

"I thought we were supposed to keep a low profile. Besides, we've had his talk too many times before." It was Tomo's belief that diclonius were meant to surpass the humans, but in a rather different way. He believed that they were meant to out breed them with seer numbers. While silpelits infected carriers with the vector virus, he and Lucy would give birth to pure diclonius. And then they would have children. And the cycle would continue until the diclonius outnumbered the humans. To Tomo, using vectors to kill was an insult to their original purpose.

"If I keep killing humans, how will we sustain our numbers over them? We need them as carriers." _At least for now._

_**Awwww. Just one quick one.**_ An invisible hand shot out from Tomo's back and instantly targeted a random pedestrian. Mere inches from lopping them in halve, Tomo restrained his vectors and withdrew them back into hi body.

"I SAID NO! We don't want any unwanted attention." Tomo turned to his right and began walking down a deserted alley way, filthy with an odorous dumpster overflowing with trash, a rusty fire escape, and moldy brick walls on both sides of him. The morning light did not fully reach this ally, casting it into a halve shade of night.

"What I need to do is think of a plan to deal with Lucy and Number 7," Tomo pleaded, hoping the voice might come up with an idea. Before the voice to give a reply, a new and unfamiliar voice called out from behind him.

"HEY, FREAK BOY!" Tomo heard the hard stomp of a foot in a nearby puddle of water behind him and the unmistakable cocking of a firearm. Tomo turned, irritated at being interrupted during his thoughts. He confidently faced his challenger, knowing well that no human or diclonius could defeat him. The man was brandishing what looked like a normal human 9 mm pistol, aiming straight for Tomo's head. His face was contorted in an idiotic grin, his eyes obscured by sunglasses. He was tall and of wide build. His hair was a short light brown color, and was just a hint untidy. His clothes were covered with sporadic dirt spots and stains. He appeared to be a well dressed homeless man then anything.

"Now tell me, what the hell was with those fucking hands of yours?"

* * *

Bandoh sat on a street bench taking one last drag of his cigarette before tossing it aside. _Shit! That's my last one for a while too. _Ever since his last fight with Lucy, he had been living off his savings he had built up from his years in Special Assault. He continued to live in his makeshift home of abandoned crates down by the beach, spending money only for food and the occasional pack of cigarettes.

"Man, I want some real fucking food," he thought aloud as he took an aggressive bite into a pack of crackers he bought earlier, "Like some beef or something."

As Bandoh sat in the same dirty clothes he had been in since his last fight, he realized just a pathetic he looked.

"This is all that fucking bitches fault!" After she had left him on the beach that night, Bandoh had once again been fortunate enough to have been spotted by some random passer-by and taken to a local hospital. After he was healed and his robotic limbs repaired (which nearly depleted his account) he vowed he wouldn't leave this shit hole town until he found that bitch and killed her. Until then, he'd bury his pride and live this meager existence. If he eventually had that bitches head, then it'd all be worth it.

It wasn't just the fact that she had beaten him on two separate occasions, or the fact that she had the nerve to let him live each time. It was what she brought out in him the last time they fought. As she stood triumphantly over his pain racked body, the same dark expression in her eyes, for the first time in his life, Bandoh had felt fear.

The first time he had faced the possibility of death with words of vengeance. Even after having his eyes gouged out he remained unafraid. But the last time, as he thought she was about to finish him off, he felt like begging. Pleading for her to spare his pathetic life. He wanted to cry like a baby. She had exposed something in him he didn't think he had in himself. Weakness.

As Bandoh finished the last sleeve, he got up to dispose of the wrappers into a garbage bin, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed a familiar, transparent arm. Thinking he finally found her, he quickly went for the gun he keep in his inner jacket pocket. Hands on the grip, ready to strike, he turned to face his enemy. But it wasn't Lucy.

From the bodily structure, it had to be a boy. Bandoh starred at his back as he recoiled his vectors. He even had a bandana on to hide his freaky horns. _No doubt about._ He then proceeded to follow him, making sure to keep at least two meters between them. What as a monster like him doing out among humans? Whatever the reason, after months of searching, he finally had a possible lead as to were that bitch might be hiding. As the boy turned down an alley way, Bandoh knew this was his chance. He drew his weapon, took careful aim, and made his challenge.

"HEY, FREAK BOY!" By the uninterested look he gave him as he saw the gun pointed in his face, any doubts Bandoh might have had were instantly vaporized.

"Now tell me, what the hell was with those fucking hands of yours?" He didn't reply.

"I'll bet that bandana is hiding a pair of horns aren't they?" Again, all he did was continue to stare. He looked like he had been stopped by some annoying pest rather then a beast bound for retribution.

"ANSWER ME YOU FREAK!" He knew it probably wasn't the best idea to provoke this potential threat, but he had built up a lot of frustration that needed to burst free. Bandoh tightened his grip out anger at being ignored, hoisting it threateningly further in hopes of coaxing a response.

"You must be joking right?" he finally said.

"What," Bandoh answered back, confused by his meaning.

"Obviously you know what I am and what I'm capable of. And with that knowledge do you seriously think you can intimidate me with something as crude as a gun?"

Bandoh stifled a small snicker. "Normally no. But this ain't no average gun here. It has a custom made tungsten bullet. And I don't think your arms will deflect it." He added that last part with a mocking confidence. That runt from the beach hadn't been able to stop these babies, so he shouldn't be able to either. _Lucky me I still have some of these left over._

"Care to test that theory?" He held the same poise and assured stature the others had faced Bandoh down with. Those same black hole like eyes. Empty and threatening. Bandoh vowed not to be beaten by those eyes ever again.

"Your funeral." Bandoh took perfect aim and pulled the trigger.

It was all instantaneous. There was a deafening bang that echoed throughout the walls of the back alley. The bullet flew toward its victim with lightening speed. To fast for any eye to follow. And a mere few inches from the center of his forehead, the bullet was stopped by an invisible wall. Bandoh's face grew wide with shock.

"But...how?" The bullet continued to hover in place. They both stood still as a pair of statues in silence. A frozen picture in time until, a few seconds later, the heavy bullet fell to the concrete ground with a ringing clang.

"Oh, too bad. Looks like your precious gun is useless," he said with the condescending tone of a parent talking to a ignorant child. Bandoh prepared to try again, but with equal lightening speed, the gun was wrenched from his hands, floating overhead out of his reach. The crunching sound of metal, and soon the gun was nothing more then a broken chunk of metal.

"So what are you going to do now," he challenged, an evil smirk curving his lips. Bandoh's body went tense, ready to duel with his own hands should the situation call for it.

"I' d like to ask you a few questions," he said calmly.

"Oh yeah like what?" Bandoh spat fiercely back at him.

"You can see my vectors yes?" He didn't continued to sound calm despite Bandoh's rude reply.

"What about it?" Bandoh wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"Interesting. You wouldn't by any chance have seen another diclonius around here? A girl perhaps?" he asked with a confident grin.

"YOU KNOW THAT BITCH?!" Bandoh faces once again became scrunched with fury. Immediately after he said this, the other mans face grew an even wider smile. He seemed pleased about something that had been said. He started walking an even pace toward Bandoh. Bandoh took his fighting stance, preparing himself for any sudden movements of attack. But the man just walked quietly past him before turning back around to face Bandoh once again.

"Why don't take a walk and have a little chat?" he said politely, gesturing an arm toward the busy streets. Cautiously, Bandoh accepted his invitation.


	3. Chapter 3

As the inhabitants of Kaede house ate their breakfast, they left the door to the garden wide open to allow the summer gale to cool the room. It felt very relaxing as the wind washed over their bodies, bathing them in a lazy comfort. An early chorus of chirping birds and chitterling insects wafting in the air added to the overall tranquility. Everyone (with the exception of Lucy) was eating vigorously the meal Nana had been generous enough to prepare. The others had always been a little heedful when it came to Nana's meals. But they always ate them anyway so as not to injure her confidence. For one of her meals, it wasn't half-bad. Sure the miso soup was a bit salty and the rice a little dry. But still, all in all, a well hearted attempt.

They all ate in silence, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Nothing needed to be said. It was just one of those moments when words were unnecessary. So they just sat, eating quietly, enjoying each others company. Anyone seeing such a sight would have thought it to be a pleasant scene. A happy family, sharing its morning meal together.

While Kohta was devouring his meal, he felt a measure of excitement rise in the bowels of his stomach like a maelstrom. Even he had to admit the idea was ingenious. He was surprised he hadn't thought about it earlier. For the past several weeks he had been brain storming over a place he and Lucy could visit together. Get a little personal time together. Then suddenly, after drawing countless blanks, he was hit randomly by inspiration. He allowed himself a moment of narcissistic pride for his own cleverness. _She's going to be so surprised._

It was very hard for him to get Lucy out of the house for almost anything. Hell, it was hard enough to get her out of her room sometimes. And whenever he succeeded, she remained in a stoic state for a majority of the time, hanging her head and never looking anyone in the eye. She looked more like someone walking toward the gallows. But Kohta was confident that this trip would be enjoyed by the both of them.

Kohta finished the last remaining specks of food left on his plate, then promptly stood up and proceeded to walk toward the kitchen, keen to finish clean up as quickly as possible.

"You look like your in a good mood this morning," Mayu happily noticed. Kohta wasn't surprised. He did feel like there was a little more spring in his step today.

"Guess I just slept well," he replied with a broad smile. Things couldn't have been going better for Kohta even if he tried. He had his surrogate family back together, he had Lucy by his side, and he had just finished his first year of college (albeit just barely). The days when regret had filled his daily hours seemed a life time ago. Far and distant from the present, no longer able to harm him. Everyday now was like a dream, living the normal carefree life so many reached for. Dream he prayed he'd never wake up from. Finally, the world was right again.

After washing his dishes rather haphazardly, Kohta darted for the staircase and jogged up them two at a time. As he reached the door to Lucy's room at the top of the landing, he could barely hold back his excitement as he gently knock on her door.

"Lucy, you awake," he half whispered, not fully sure if she was still asleep or not. He heard a ruffling of feet on the other side and was soon greeted by her as she opened the door.

"Yes," Lucy said in her neutral tone. Not that she was ever an overflowing pool of emotion, but something about her seemed more subdued then usual. Her eyes clouded with some secret. _I wonder if something's wrong. _Deciding not to worry about it, Kohta quickly pushed the concern from his mind. _It's probably nothing. _If only he knew how wrong he was.

"Hurry up and get dressed. I got a surprise for you," he stated, and upbeat finality in his voice.

"What is it," she asked, not sounding overly thrilled.

"It's a secret," he said playfully with a wink.

"No thanks." Lucy started to shut her door when Kohta quickly brought his hand to halt it from closing fully as he looked pleadingly into her crimson eyes.

"Please, I promise you'll like it," Kohta begged. Kohta looked straight at her, putting on the most sympathetic face he could muster. Lucy's cheeks started to blush, and he knew he was winning. _She can't resist the face. _Finally conceding defeat, Lucy sighed.

"Alright, I'll be out in a few minutes." Kohta smiled in his victory, admiring her beauty as she shut the door behind her. Kohta listened to the clattering of plates as Yuka and the other girls cleaned up their own dishes down stairs. His face grimaced slightly, as he thought about the lecture Yuka was sure to give his ears once he came home.

Kohta hadn't told anyone he was planning on taking Lucy out for the day, not wanting the possibility of ruining the surprise. So he would be leaving the others rather unexpectedly with a great deal more chores for them. He felt a little guilty about that. Yuka would not doubt be furious with him leaving without a word prior, making sure to chew him out. But she'd get over it eventually. She always did. And if Mayu or Nana were by some chance bothered by it, they wouldn't show it. So Kohta wasn't feeling too bad about it.

Lucy came back out a few minutes later, dressed in a black T-shirt and matching pants. Kohta stood again, starring at her radiance that was so thick that it could make angels look on in jealousy. It always amazed him that even in the most simple of clothes, Lucy always looked stunning to him.

"What is it," she asked when he hadn't said anything. Her words bringing him back to reality, Kohta shook his head free of daydreaming.

"Nothing," he said, his face blushing. With that, he grabbed her by the hand, and escorted her out the front door. Yuka and the others didn't even noticed they had left.

* * *

"Are you shitting me?" Bandoh could hardly believe what he had just heard. Apparently, this guy was called "Tomo" and he had been sent here by that old science lab he used to work for to exterminate that bitch Lucy. What was even more surprising, he had just requested Bandoh's assistance in his mission. They both sat on empty crates in Bandoh's makeshift residence by the beach shore as the midday sun beat them down hard with its powerful rays overhead. Bandoh could smell the salty air coming from the sloshing water just a few feet away.

None of this made a damn bit of sense. Why was this dude be willing to kill one of his own kind so freely? He thought they were all "buddy buddy". But then again, Bandoh had not really been the type willing to sort out mercy to other humans either. And why did this horned freak want his help? As far as he had experienced, these, "diclonius" he thinks they're called, weren't exactly friends with humanity.

"I assure you I am very serious," Tomo said.

"And why should I help you..._ponytail_," Bandoh shot at him. Tomo never lost his calm composure, unfazed by Bandoh's choice nickname.

"Because it will give you a chance for retribution," he answered plainly, "What more reason could you need then that?" Bandoh stroked his chin, considering this unlikely proposal. He never did like working with others. All they ever did was slow him down and take the fun out of everything. But twice he had faced Lucy, and twice he had been soundly defeated. _Maybe a little back up wouldn't hurt._

"If you need more incentive, I can see that you are well compensated for your efforts," Tomo added, "Enough to free you of this derelict lifestyle you've sunken into."

"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS," Bandoh yelled at him. "How do even I know I can trust you," he retorted.

"You don't," Tomo replied matter-o-factly, mischievously smiling. The tension between these two unlikely allies seemed to mount in the growing silence. "But then again, I don't know if I can trust you either...and that makes it more interesting doesn't it?" After another momentary silence, Bandoh started laughing hysterically, shattering the tension like glass.

"HA HA HA HA! You know what, I like your style ponytail."

"I take it we have an agreement," Tomo asked assuredly.

"On two conditions," Bandoh said, now getting serious. "One, I'm the one who gets to kill that bitch. You just help me if I need it," Bandoh waited for some kind of resistance or words of dissent. When they never came, he continued. "And two, when it's all over, I want to keep her eyes as trophies," Bandoh declared with a psychotic look in his own eyes. He waited for Tomo's answer. Tomo just starred and smiled a friendly grin, as if this were the most casual request.

"Done," he said simply. Bandoh was rather shocked at how easily he had gotten what he wanted.

"To our alliance," Tomo said as he extended his hand for Bandoh, "And maybe even friendship.

_Don't count on it you fucking freak, _Bandoh thought as he shook Tomo's hand violently. "Yeah...maybe."

"Well then," Tomo said as he got up, brushing the dirt from his jeans, "I'll be leaving now then."

"Wait, what about th-" Bandoh interjected before Tomo cut him off.

"Don't worry. Once I need you I'll come here to find you, but till then just stay here. And keep out of trouble"

Bandoh gritted his teeth in anger, but crossed his arms and remained silent. He hated being ordered around. Especially by one of these horned bastards. After a quick bow, Tomo left for the city behind them. As Bandoh watched Tomo's form grow smaller and smaller in the distance, he imagined what the look on that bitches face would be when she saw him again.

"I'm coming for ya bitch," he said to himself, "And let me tell ya, were going to have one hell of a party."

* * *

"That was almost too easy," Tomo laughed when the mercenary was out of ear shot. It appeared humans were just a gullible as they were arrogant.

_**Yes, humans consumed by thoughts of revenge tend to be the easiest to manipulate**_, the voice agreed.

"You said it. All you have to do is mention the name of the person they're after, and pretty soon they think it's all their idea."

Tomo had been strangely fortunate. Just when he was having difficulties forming a plot to find Lucy, fate had delivered to him a scapegoat. After that, the pieces to his mysterious puzzle all fell perfectly into place. He now had a plan. It was so simple, Tomo mentally chastised himself for not thinking of it earlier.

Once he knew Bandoh had met Lucy before, the whole scheme had miraculously formed inside his mind with equally alarming speed. "This is going to be fun."

Tomo wandered through the jungle of steel buildings and concrete sidewalks, looking down every alley and crevice of the streets. Finally, he found a small abandoned shop hidden in the shadows. He glanced quickly from side to side making sure he was not being watched. Feeling secure, Tomo forced his way into the old business, floors covered in dust, mold, and reeked from years of neglect. Tomo walked into one of the back rooms, moving aside a few scattered pieces of old broken furniture. He found a small free space of wall and leaned his back against it, sliding down into a sitting position.

He sighed, removing his bandana to reveal his horns. What he had to do next, he was not looking forward to.

"I have to lose my horns," he said to no one, "Lucy cannot suspect me of being a diclonius yet. She may get...suspicious, and getting her to come along with me will be a lot harder."

_**This is going to hurt**_, the voice advised, but made no further objections.

Tomo extended one of his vectors out from his back, feeling with his physical hands for the ideal spot to cut, so as his hair could hide the stump. He breathed in deeply for a few minutes, preparing his mind and body for what would surely be a paining more piercing then thousands of daggers. He clenched his eyes tightly, then launched his vector at top speed.

As vector met bone, it sent a ringing throughout his ear that quickly vibrated through his entire body. It blinded all his other senses, blurring them in a whirlwind of confusion. Tomo let out an acid yell, collapsing to the floor unconscious before he had even finished his scream. He hit with a hard thud the sounded all over the empty room, his face dripping with fresh blood onto the dirty floor. Luckily, no one outside heard a thing. The sounds of their daily lives muffling out everything.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy stood still, her jaw gapping in awe. The sight she saw before her was enough to steal her breath out of her lungs. The entrance was a floodgate of people coming in and out. Many of which were parents with their tiny children, or young couples walking arm in arm, or hand in hand. From inside, she could make out the roars, howls, and cries of several different creatures. Above the entrance hung a huge wooden sign, decorated with fancy lettering, framed by stampeding animals toward the onlookers. This was the threshold to the Kamakura Zoo.

"Well...what do you think," Kohta asked. Lucy was rooted to where she was standing, unable to speak or move. After so many years, Lucy still remembered this place clearly inside her minds eye. She remembered it right down to the most minuscule of details. To others, this zoo would have seemed commonplace. To Lucy, it was so much more. It was here she had been her happiest. This place held the memories she still turned to in her darkest hours, when all the world seemed desolate. Seeing this place again, her heart was crowded with something she hadn't felt for a long time.

Lucy felt something wet slowly slide down the side of her face. A tear. Lucy hadn't cried in so long. Since she didn't know when. Lucy brought a hand up to wipe it away. She had even started to believe that she was empty of tears, unable to cry ever again. But this wasn't a tear of regret. Nor was it born of sadness. No, this was a tear of rapture and of gratification.

"Is something wrong," Kohta asked, sounding concerned.

"I just...I mean..." Lucy was unable to find the words to express exactly what she was feeling. She was holding back the rush of emotion welling up in her, trying hard not to make a scene.

"Come on. We have a lot to see," Kohta said, seeming to understand. He lead her into the zoo, putting a loving arm around her shoulder and pulling her close. And Lucy gave herself fully over to his protective embrace. For the first time in months, Lucy's face formed what could almost be seen as a half smile.

* * *

The irritating sounds of chattering crowds and honking horns that came from the outside did little to help alleviate Tomo's splitting head pain. His back against the wall, hands clasped hard over his stumps that had once been his horns, he was trying hard to force back the hurt. He looked at the floor where his blood had stained it. He didn't know how long he had been out, but immediately after he regained consciousness, he proceeded to chopping off his second horn, ignoring the nausea in his belly. Experienced and anticipating the pain now, he had not fallen victim to its trauma. This was not helpful however, because now he didn't have unconsciousness to numb and relieve him of pains full force.

He sat there inside the dingy gray room, his face painted with his own blood, feeling sick and weary. Hours passed by like an eternity. As he waited for the pain to pass over him, he went through his plan over, and over, and over again in his aching head. It was so elegant in its simplicity that it almost seemed complicated.

He had to draw Lucy out of wherever she was hiding if he was to find her. So to lure her out, he would have to allow her to sense him for the briefest moment. Hopefully she would come to investigate, and when she arrived, there the mercenary would be, ready to extinguish her life. The two would fight, and at the last minute Tomo would intervene and save Lucy. And then the mercenaries role would be finished. Tomo smirked as he imagined what the face on that stupid mercenary would be like when he was eventually disposed of. It had been rather interesting that he could see the vectors, but that thought was only of mild curiosity.

That should certainly be enough then to earn Lucy's trust. Then he'd find some way to stay with her, observe, and wait for the opportune moment to act. Tomo had the funny feeling that Lucy was with humans, and was certain she was with Number 7. But who she was living with made little difference. They might even prove themselves useful in some way. But they may prove themselves to be an obstacle as well. The mystery to it all only stirred Tomo's interest in the matter.

However, there was a giant gap that needed to be mended. Lucy would have to sense him, and that might put her on the alert of another diclonius. Lucy had proven in the past that she had something of trust issues. She would undoubtly know who had sent him and why. And Tomo couldn't hide his horns forever. If he didn't want Lucy to suspect him, then he'd have to make a little sacrifice.

_**How are you feeling**_, the voice asked.

"I've been better," Tomo said bitterly, thinking it was a dumb question. Of course he wasn't feeling ok. He had just decapitated his own two horns. Definitely not a pleasant experience. If the physical pain wasn't bad enough, the hurt to his pride was worse.

"I just hope my horns will eventually grow back," he wished while trying to seize the cramping with a another tight hold.

_**You should not have done that**_, the voice criticized, _**Your horns were a proud marking. A blessing from God that you are a chosen one. You should have worn them with honor. You should have-**_

"It can't be helped," Tomo interjected, "Lucy can't know I'm a diclonius. Not yet anyway." Of course Tomo knew he'd have to reveal himself to Lucy eventually, that much was certain. But he could only do that once he was sure Lucy would listen to him. Once he was able persuade her to join him.

_**So what do we do now?**_

"Next we find out where Lucy is hiding." Tomo was fairly sure Lucy was with Number 7 and some other humans, but he wanted to confirm it with his own eyes before he planned anything further.

"But after my head stops splitting," Tomo grunted, feeling another sharp pinch. He grabbed down on his stumps harder, trying to hold down onto the pain and quell it. He really wished he had one of those pills (Aspirin he thinks) that humans take when they get a headache. Tomo felt some vomit begin to rise in his throat and forced in back into his stomach. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so awful. Nothing at the lab had ever made him feel this bad, both physically and mentally.

Another pang inside his brain. Seconds later, Tomo shot straight up onto his feet, forgetting the burning, sickly sensation his body was feeling. Tomo ran for one of the boarded up windows that overlooked the street outside. The pain he felt had almost caused him to miss it, to shrug it off as another side effect of losing two horns simultaneously. But Tomo now recognized this feeling. It was the feeling he felt when sensing another diclonius nearby.

_Lucy_.

_**She is near**_, the voice chimed in. Tomo told the voice to be quiet, even though only he could hear it.

"I know that." His eyes darted to every corner of the street for any sign of pink hair or a pair of horns. Then, just as it rounded the end of the block on the far end of the street, Tomo saw a wave of pink hair flutter in the wind. Tomo jogged out of the forsaken shop, abandoning any concern for how he looked to others. He turned the corner and saw her. A girl with silk like pink hair walking intimately arm in arm with some boy. He knew this girl to be Lucy. There was no mistaking this signature he was feeling. But then where were her horns?

_**Strange**_, the voice said, _**She has no horns.**_

"Yes. Very strange indeed," Tomo agreed. He looked on as the two walked unnaturally close to each other. Tomo began to feel a heat of jealousy rise in his gut. His face twisted to match his dark emotion.

_**Perhaps this is not Lucy**_, the voice proposed.

"No," Tomo insisted, "It is her." Tomo began to trail their every step, making sure to suppress himself and keep a good even two meters distance between them. The two seemed too engrossed in the other to noticed that they were being followed. The heat in Tomo's gut rose a few more degrees as he continued to watch. He didn't like how close these two were walking together. Not one little bit.

_**Calm yourself**_, the voice advised him, _**You must not let your emotions get the better of you. **_Tomo continued on, pretending not have heard what the voice said. With every heartfelt glance she gave the boy, Tomo felt his temperature rise more and more till it could have rivaled that of a volcano. He followed them, down several streets, up some great stone step, and finally to a giant house surrounded by a giant wall. After the two had entered, he lingered by the outer door of the house listening for how many voices were inside.

He couldn't hear the details of their conversations, but he heard five distinct voices, and the barking of one dog. _Oh yeah, this day just keeps getting better and better. _Tomo loved it when he was right.

Satisfied, Tomo made his way back the way they had came, memorizing every step and any landmarks that might help him find this place again. Once at the elongated steps, which overlooked the entire city and shore line, he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed.

"I think its time to get everything set up," he said under his breath, putting the receiver to his ear, listening to the line begin to ring.

* * *

Kakuzawa still stood in front of his window, looking out at the limitless ocean, the setting sun casting a haunting glow on the water. He looked as is he had turned to stone, not appearing to have moved an inch since the last time someone saw him. Kakuzawa always spent most of his time observing the sea and its alluring horizon. It reminded him so much of himself. A calm, collected thing by nature. Slowly moving along with the tides of events. Always changing its form to fit its environment. It was adaptive. Yet to one foolish enough to underestimate it, was a crushing torrent without mercy or limitation. A force that encompassed most of the world and that no one could surpass. It was powerful. Clear and sparkling, it looked like melted diamonds. It was pure. Mix these attributes together, and it was like looking into the eyes of God himself. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold.

He felt a silent rumble from inside his suit pocket and withdrew a small black handheld phone. He flipped it open and placed it to his ear.

"Yes," he said coolly, already knowing who it was. Only one person had access to his private line and the current moment.

"I need a few things," the voice on the opposite line said. Neither one seemed to be wasting time with formalities or friendly greetings. It was straight to business.

"I assume you have found her," Kakuzawa asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I need some things first," Number 86 replied professionally. 86 spent the next several minutes explaining the contents of his plan to Kakuzawa, while he intently listened, nodding his head in interest every few minutes and a cold smile growing bigger and wider.

"Very impressive my boy. It seems I did the right thing by sending you," Kakuzawa complimented, "You have learned from me well." There was a long silence before Number 86 spoke again.

"Yes," he said rather dully.

"I'll send you anything you need." After the equipment to be sent had been agreed upon, and deciding on the details of the drop off, both men simultaneously, and abruptly ended the call. He placed the phone back in his pocket, then walked toward his chair and pressed a red button on his public phone line which was sitting on his desk.

"Yes Director," his secretary answered promptly. Like a well trained dog being called by its master.

"Send her up," he commanded.

"Yes sir," she said before a click severed the connection. Resuming his kingly pose, he starred out his window, admiring the beauty of the view. After a few minutes of silence, the door behind him opened timidly as Doctor Arakawa entered.

"You wanted to see me," she said, her posture fidgety. It was plain to see by anyone's standards that she wasn't exactly comfortable about being in here with him.

"I did," he said suggestively. Never had the utterance of such a simple reply sounded so ominous. He turned to face her, seeing the features of her delicate face framed by glasses, which magnified the size of her eyes. He observed her slender figure from under the white lab coat she was wearing. His imagination was running wild laps with perverted fantasies. She was very beautiful. Despite his own reservations for what was to be done, he knew, at the very least, it would be very enjoyable.

He walked toward her, a cold expression behind his eyes, her body becoming ever more tense with every echo of his feet. She tried, and failed, to hide her elevating fear as he drew closer. He relished in her fear. He breathed it deeply into his very core, extracting life from it. He loved it when others were intimidated by his presence. As they should be. But when they tried to hide in some frivolous show of nerve was when he loved it most.

He now stood a few inches in front of her, looming over her with an expression colder then the devils. He simply gazed down at her a moment. Then he strode straight past her, right for the ornate door from which she entered.

"Um...sir, do you think it'd be ok if I take a bath soon," she asked tentatively, not sure how he'd react to such a request. The only answered she received was the wail of the deadbolt tightening, locking them both in. He turned slowly to face her again, a smirk across his old face. He ignored her question, walking a dangerously slow pace back to her while removing his jacket, undoing his tie, and unbuttoning his shirt.

Arakawa's mind was doing flip flops, unable to fully process the sight she was seeing. She wanted to back away from him, but her legs had turned to stone. Immobile, and fixed to the spot.

"I told you my plans for you were just beginning," he said with malice. He reached her, his wrinkled torso now fully exposed, placing a tender hand on her shoulder and guiding her off to a couch to the right. Arakawa's mind and body seemed to be out of synch with each other. Despite her best attempts to resist, her body gave itself over to his will completely. She wanted to scream, but they became trapped in her throat. Kakuzawa genteelly forced her complacent body down onto the couch as he undid the rest of his clothing, revealing himself fully to her.

A moist tear began caressing itself down Arakawa's cheek. Finally, he removed his wig of hair that covered his bald head, and his two horns. He could see her face twisted in muted terror.

"Do not worry," he consoled as he climbed on top of her, starting to remove her coat, "It will be over soon."


	5. Chapter 5

Lucy couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. Sitting up in her bedroom, she deeply searched the achieves of her memory for anything that might remotely have been as enjoyable as today was. But nothing turned up that could compare. Ironically enough, the only other time she felt such amusement was when Kohta brought her to the same zoo those many years earlier. She now laid in her bed, as her legs screamed at her in dissent. They had walked around the zoo for a majority of the day, admiring many different species of animals. They saw lazy lions as they basked in the shade of trees, primates who humorously imitated their guest, and several others. They ate shaved ice in the later parts of the afternoon when the sun was at its highest, and even managed to cool off at creek they visited the last time they came. Words were unable to express the overwhelming gratitude Lucy was feeling toward Kohta. It had been the best day she had in a long while. But, as Lucy should have expected, it was too good to last long.

The joy she felt immediately faded into sinking feeling the moment they arrived back home. Yuka had been eagerly waiting for them, and pounced on Kohta for his "negligence" and "irresponsibility". Lucy could here her from downstairs as she continued to nag and scold Kohta for all the housework he left her and the girls with. _What are you his mother_, Lucy thought. She tried to block out Yuka's irksome yelling, holding close to her chest the gray stuffed elephant Kohta bought for her at one of the many zoo's souvenir stands. Her favorite part of their trip to the zoo had to be the elephants. She didn't understand why, but she always liked these massive behemoths best. Their dominating size, their long trunks, their tusks. They always fascinated her and, it surprised her to think such a thought, believed them to be...cute. While there, she wondered if these elephants they were seeing might by some chance be the cubs of the ones she saw before.

But at one point there, Lucy's minded strayed into darker thoughts. Seeing these animals caged while others gawked at them in amusement, she was reminded of her own personal cage back at that island hell. Spending her days bound and restrained while being poked and probed in scientific experiments. Thinking like that, maybe there wasn't much difference between herself and these creatures. Did they really deserve to be locked up? She shocked the depressing idea quickly from her mind. But now that she was home, listening to Yuka complain, the thoughts came rushing in.

She looked down at her new stuffed toy, realizing that its tusks reminded her of something. They looked like they could be something else. Horns. Tossing the toy aside, Lucy pulled her pillow to cover her ears in a desperate attempt to block out Yuka's voice.

* * *

Yuka wasn't furious, though her constant stream of shouting said otherwise. That word wasn't enough to describe what Yuka was feeling. If she was furious, then she would have cared about all the chores Kohta neglected today. Which of course she didn't. In truth, she wasn't bothered by the fact of all the cleaning he had left for her and the others. They could handle that easily enough. So then why was she so upset with him? Because, more then anything, she had been hurt. Yes that would have been a much more accurate term to use. All this day had done to her was cruelly remind her of what she already knew to be truth. Kohta had made his choice. And much to her despair, it wasn't her.

"Why didn't you at least tell us you were going somewhere," she chastised, her arms crossed and stare sharp. Yuka knew she was overreacting to the situation, but couldn't help it. This was how she let out all this feeling. Instead of saying exactly what she was feeling, she had always expressed herself when she was upset through nagging, nit picking, and an increased work ethic. It just more often then less that the nit picking was directed at Kohta. At least this way she'd have a connection with him. This was how she dealt with the disease known as heartache. He never did things with her anymore. He barely ever spoke to her. And things had been going so well the last few months.

Back then, she truly believed that her relationship with Kohta had really gotten somewhere. They finally had the opportunity to grow together, and to become more then mere cousins. And for the all too brief time they had, she thought they did. Then it was all shattered to pieces. _She _had to come back. Yuka was disgusted to admit it, but she would have been lying if she said she wasn't happy on some level that Nyuu was gone. Now she felt a part of her heart wither every time he gave Lucy that loving smile she one day hoped would be reserved for her. And something about Lucy seemed off.

Yuka couldn't explain it, but she could still see it in her eyes. Hear it in her voice. Ever since she returned, Yuka thought there was something seriously wrong with this girl. Kohta had done some serious explaining when Lucy came back, but Yuka felt he wasn't telling her the whole truth about the situation. She sensed she was the only one out of the loop, because even Mayu and Nana seemed to know more about Lucy then she herself did. She hated the feeling of being left out and of isolation it brought.

Kohta starting make another wild attempt to calm Yuka's rising temper. She looked on into his pitifully sorrowful face feeling guilty for lecturing him. No matter how infuriated she was at him, he always had a look and way about him that could make her melt in his fingers. _Damn, how does he do it? _Yuka sighed heavily, giving up on reprimanding him further. She assumed he'd had enough.

"Just don't let it happen again ok," she concluded, keeping her stern tone as she turned on her heels to enter her room. Sitting on her bed, she began to feel ashamed for yelling at Kohta and for every guilty emotion she felted toward Lucy. Lucy was after all her friend. More or less. And she really needed to do better in terms of getting along with her. But she just felt so jealous and angry at her she couldn't help but resent her at times, even if it was for no legitimate reason. Yuka heard footsteps approaching her door, and quickly grabbed one of the books off her shelf, opening to a random page and pretending to read. It was Nana and Mayu, checking to make sure she was feeling alright. After assuring them she was fine with a fake smile they both accepted it and left. She dropped the book on her bed, not feeling the energy to place it back in its designated place. Hugging her knees, she heard some more footsteps coming from the steps, which was unmistakably Kohta going to see Lucy in her room. Feeling those guilty emotions stir again, Yuka planted her face into her palms, holding back the tears.

"Kohta you jerk," she mumbled.

* * *

The orange sky was now a blanket of black, plunging the city into night. As it came, so to did a small drizzle of rain. It started out as a drizzle, then steadily made its way to a downpour, causing those still outside to seek shelter from it. Except for one. Tomo walked back toward the empty shop he had found, making no effort to seek cover or quicken his pace. He freely let the droplets massage his face and arms. This was yet another new experience. He had heard of rain, listening to the scientist complain about the unpredictable weather patterns and the unreliable weathermen who tried to forecast them. But he had never truly known it before this moment. It seemed the world, despite its distasteful inhabitants, was filled with its own natural beauty. From the colors of the sunrise to the feeling of the rain against his skin, he was truly grateful for this opportunity. A great welcome from the dingy city to which he was now returning.

It was too symmetrical and bland. No colors, or beauty at all. Just a bunch of steel, gray buildings. Another way the humans were spoiling nature with their pollution and mindless overpopulation. _We'll remedy that soon enough. _He was now making his way down a small cluster of buildings that seemed to close in on him like animals. As he tried to guide his way down the narrow passage, he felt a strong grip latch onto his shoulders and spin him around forcefully. His back was then quickly pinned up against the wall, as a ragged looking man starred at him in the eyes while brandishing a gun at his face.

"Alright kid," the man said, "If you want to go home tonight without a hole in your head, you'll empty your pockets and give me all the money you've got right now." Tomo just looked straight at him as the rain matted his hair. He was starting to get annoyed. This was the second time today he had been attacked by someone too ignorant to know better. "Well," the man asked, sounding irritated that Tomo had not yet given up the money he didn't have and run away in fear. Kakuzawa had left him to his own devices to get food. Tomo sighed. Looks like he couldn't avoid it.

He sharply smacked the mans arm off his shoulder with enough force to send the man staggering back a few steps. The man looked shocked that his hold on Tomo had been so easily nullified. His shocked soon twisted into angry and frustration.

"Oh you're so dead ki-," he began, but before he was finished with his threat, Tomo sunk one of his vector's fingers deep into the mans skull. The was motionless, face showing his fearful unknowing of what he was feeling. Tomo searched the contents of the mans mind till he finally found what he was looking for, then gave with a quick distort of the brain artery. The mans eyes clouded up with emptiness, then he fell face first into a puddle, never to rise again. Tomo stood over his pray, feeling very proud of himself. A quick and simple death. Not a single person would be able to link this death with him once the man was discovered in the morning. He didn't like having to use his vectors for this sort of thing, but this way didn't feel so bad. Sophisticated and clean. It almost felt fun.

Standing triumphantly over his first human victim, he felt a primal satisfaction serge through his veins. He glanced down at the gun still firmly held in the dead mans hand. He bent down next to the corpse, removing the gun from his hands that were already starting to harden from rigormortis. He turned it over between his fingers inspecting its detail. Feeling the cold steel in his palms.

_**Such a rudimentary weapon**_, the voice said. Tomo didn't reply. He continued to observe the gun in his hands, feeling another strange sensation in his blood as he did so. He felt powerful. And he liked it. He liked it very much.

"I don't know," Tomo said, rising up to his full height again, "I rather like the way it feels."

_**A true weapon for a diclonius is his vectors. You should know that now**_, the voiced protested. Tomo couldn't deny that using his vectors felt exhilarating, but deception and cunning were the key to capture Lucy. This weapon might just come in handy in the future.

"Just in case," Tomo said as he pocketed the gun and head off toward the abandoned shop for some well earned rest.


	6. Chapter 6

Arakawa was slumping along the brightly lit corridor back to her room, pain eating away at every particle in her body and feeling so disgusted she thought she might not be able to eat for a week without throwing up. Her mind was still having great difficulty registering what had just taken place moments ago. When she had been called up to Kakuzawa's office, her first thought was that she was to be scolded for lack of headway in her continuation of his son's research on the vector virus, which he did at least once a week. Or maybe it was for still not identifying the student who had seen Professor Kakuzawa's dead body at the university which she was still asked to do during her free time. But this. This was most unexpected.

After he had finished with her, he had gotten off of her, leaving her heavily breathing, limp body on the couch. He then dressed quickly and dismissed her before she had even stood up on both legs or even began to redress herself. He treated the whole affair like a business transaction. A very dry exchange. Forget the shower, no amount of bodily cleaning would ever make her body feel cleansed ever again. She dragged her legs across the floor, making little if no effort to get to her room that was so confined and dismal it might as well been a prison cell. Her mind was a complete blank, refusing to process any further thoughts as she went.

Finally arriving at the door to her quarters, she walked inside to find it still the same as it always looked. Piles upon piles of books reaching up like miniature mountains, a small desk cluttered with research papers, a small annex bed which the covers were sloppily strewn over it, and a single corded phone on the wall beside the door. Arakawa found herself fortunate she was not closterphobic, or this room might cause her to go into seizures. She dropped herself face first into her pillow, not bothering to remove her clothes or glasses. _How did I get myself into this_, she thought, her mind finally working again. She turned over in her bed to gaze up at bland and featureless ceiling. As she continued to stare, she contemplated how she had exactly gotten to this point in her life.

She was a student at Tokyo University at the time, about to graduate with a degree in molecular science. A diligent student, she was always something of a nerd among her friends. Whereas they chose much more exciting careers to pursue, Arakawa always found solving difficult scientific equations and theorems to be a much better idea of a good time. Always excelling scholastically, science had been her strong suit. She didn't know why she had this talent or interest, but she knew very early on she wanted to be a scientist. Her original plan had been to stay on at the university to gain some experience as a lab assistant in the department labs before striking out on her own. But that was before she met a unshaven man with short brown hair. A man by the name of Kakuzawa.

She met him at one of the science departmental meetings for the students. He had been walking around from student to student making small conversation before it finally was her turn. After some introductory chit chat and friendly small talk, he announced to her that he was here to recruit an assistant for himself on some research his father's facility was funding. He told her he had heard excellent things about her from her professors and was very interested in her more then the other students. As she listened to him, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was odd about him. The feeling was difficult to describe with words. It was vague and almost nonexistent, but it felt peculiar to be in his presence. As if he was hiding something. She later found out that he was a professor at a small, safety school in Kamakura, and that even the students and other professors there thought he was a "complete weirdo". But he was an unusually charismatic man. He seemed as if he could talk his way out of any regrettable situation he might find himself in. Or like he could get anyone to do anything he had wanted, so long as he said it right. A smooth talker for sure. He continued to stroke her ego with words of praise over the next several weeks during phone calls, several cups of coffee, and lunch/dinner dates. Arakawa eventually caved in and immediately before she even graduated, she was hired as his assistant.

And for five years they both analyzed and hunted for the vector virus, until one night a few months ago a student had come to have a late night meeting with the professor. She walked into the downstairs labs find the professor dead, a puddle of blood splattering the wall and his severed head sitting by his motionless body. The rest, as they said, was history. Arakawa's eyelids began to grow increasingly heavy as sleepiness began to overcome her. Right before she drifted into a dreamless slumber, she thought back to something her mother had said to her long ago. _Maybe mom was right, maybe I should have been a teacher. _Mrs. Arakawa had never like the idea of science as a field of work for her daughter.

* * *

Sitting crossed legged in the shop, Tomo opened his shut eyes and taking himself out of his meditative state when he noticed the first signs of morning shine over the buildings, penetrating the smudged windows and his closed eyes. He walked over to the window, wiped away some of the filth with his shirt, and watched as the burning sun took its usual path up the sky. Again he hadn't slept any. But he had long ago at the facility become adept at meditating so as to revitalize his body and renew his energy. More then ever he couldn't afford to sleep now anyway. If he did so, he might lose control of blocking his aura, and Lucy or Number 7 might sense him and blow his element of surprise. Looking at the sphere mixing of red, orange, and yellow his stomach gave a loud rumble, letting him know it required nutrition of some kind.

"Man, I need food," he grumbled.

_**And how do you plan to get food? **_This was a good question. Tomo hadn't eaten since the facility and now was desperately wanting to fill his belly. But with no money for which to buy food, he didn't have that many other options. Tomo walked back to the spot where he had been meditating on the floor, bending over to pick up two broken horns and pocketed them. _**You should have taken some money from the man you killed last night**_, the voice suggested.

"I worry about food later," Tomo retorted, more out of embarrassment that he hadn't thought of that the previous night. He retied his bandana, then stepped outside into the morning and began to make his way down into the center of the city. If he knew Kakuzawa, the items he had requested would have been sitting there waiting for him by now, and he wanted to get to them first before some unsuspecting passerby. He walked down the sidewalks, looking up at the green street signs and following the directions of the director exactly. He followed them until he came to the alley between the two streets that Kakuzawa had so descriptively described for him. This one however didn't look much different from the other ones Tomo had seen in this city. Still dark, still damp, and just as foul smelling. He instantly saw it. A small crate placed discreetly amongst a pile of cardboard boxes and other assorted trash. He pulled the crate out from its hiding place and opened it to find a brand new, jet black pistol roughly the size of his hand with a few extra magazines of ammo, all filled with custom made bullets. Guaranteed to fly right through vectors. Also inside was an array of mechanical parts and tools used to help upgrade an artificial limb.

_**What's that for**_, the voice asked.

"It's for our mercenary friend," Tomo said darkly. If he was to gain both Lucy's and the human's trust, then this fight had to look and feel real to the both of them. Tomo held the new gun in his hands and compared it to the one still stuffed in the back of his jeans were no one could see. This one felt much heavier then the simple one Tomo now carried. And again, Tomo felt the surge of excitement at the events soon to come swell up inside him.

"What do you say we pay our little friend an early morning visit," Tomo said, his tone an overly friendly tune. He placed the gun neatly back in its box, closed the lid, picked it up with both hands, and walked back to the beach.

* * *

Bandoh was not a patient man. He sat on a crate by the shore, rapidly tapping his foot against a wooden board under his feet. He knew his being impatient was illogical. It had only been a day since he last seen the boy. But he had been waiting for an opportunity like this for months, and he wasn't likely to keep waiting much longer. Bandoh definitely was not a patient man. Not when it came to this. He scowled at the sea, as if he did so long enough Tomo might pop out of the sea at his command. _If that little fuck pulls one over on me._

Bandoh began scanning the beach's sandy shore, trying to see if he had missed any pieces of trash left there. Something to do maybe to kill some time. As he observed it for the fourth time in eight minutes, he assumed that he had cleaned it up completely. Littering had always bothered Bandoh. It wasn't out of any concern for mother "fucking" nature. Nor was it by any means a desire to keep things clean. Certainly none of those things bothered him at all. It just got on his nerves. He hated filth. But he also had a more subjective motive for wanting the beach to be clear of any garbage. If the shore line was clear, then that bitch wouldn't have anything she could use as a projectile during their eventual confrontation. That was assuming that Tomo contacted him before the turn of the next century. Bandoh kicked a small pile of sand he had built with the toes of his foot to relief his frustration. He was about half tempted to get up and go get himself some breakfast before a giant box was dropped right beside him, causing him to nearly topple off his sit, rising into a reflexive fighting stance. Tomo stood with his hands at his hips, looking extremely proud of himself.

"I have a little present for you," he said smiling broadly. Bandoh looked back and forth between Tomo and the box, wary of any chance at betrayal. Slowly Bandoh bent down onto his knees to open the box.

"And it isn't even my birthday yet," he added jokingly as he opened it. He examined the contents with great interest and appreciation, holding the gun firmly in its grip and enjoying the feel of a fresh weapon in his hands again. He then pulled out each magazine of ammo, inspecting the quality of the bullets and making a mental note of exactly how much ammo he had to work with. Then he noticed the spare parts for his mechanical hand sitting at the bottom. He picked these up as well, surprised at the high quality of these tools Tomo had secured. This would upgrade his arm better then it had ever been. Surveying everything at once now, Bandoh had to smile. Things were looking good. This time, he would be ready for her.

"I assume everything is to your approval," Tomo asked, noticing Bandoh's darkly bright grin.

"Damn straight," Bandoh answered. He picked up the black firearm, inserting some of the ammo into its grip, savoring the sound of the click as magazine locked itself in. Aiming playfully at the sea, Bandoh imagined Lucy laying on the beach, the water turning red from her open gunshot wounds. The gun felt familiar in his hands. Returning from his revel, Bandoh put everything away back in the box, then looked up at Tomo through his sunglasses. "What do you want?"

"Excuse me?" Tomo tilted his head, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Bandoh stood up at this point to look him straight in the face.

"Look buddy I don't like being in debt to anyone. So come on, tell me what I can do to make us even for this stuff and helping me out," Bandoh said bitterly, sounding like this was causing him physical displeasure. Tomo plucked at his chin in mock thinking, until his stomach gave a grumble so loud it was impossible for Bandoh not to have heard it.

"I am kind of hungry," he said. Bandoh just laughed.

"Man, I'm liking you more and more," he said in-between laughs. Putting a hand on his shoulder, he turned him and guided back up the coast. "So tell, what sorta plan have you got cookin?"

* * *

Lucy's eyes shot open, her vision obscured by the darkness of her room. She sat upright in her bed and allowed her vision to adapt itself to the inky shadows. She had another nightmare. This was the second one in two days, and she could tell they were slowly becoming more unbearable. This time around, she found herself reliving every gruesome murder she had every done as if experiencing them for a second time. What was worst was that she had complete awareness of each chain of events to come next. Yet despite her telling her body to stop, it defiantly disobeyed her. She watched in regrettable horror as her body cut people in two against her wishes, beyond her control. It felt like the body was hers, but someone else was making it move. She would scream out in agony, willing her body to cease while it continued to paint her dream with crimson.

Then she felt _it _again. That presence of another that felt like ice and fire mixed together. Only this time, it was much stronger. Much more real. _When is this going to end_, she asked herself as she wiped away some grit from her eyes. She turned to look at the digital clock that sat on the floor by her bed. It currently read 5:12 in the morning. Lucy then cocked her head to look at the blinds of her window. She could make out no gleam coming in through the shades. The sun still had yet to rise apparently. Even though she knew she wouldn't fall back asleep (and she didn't really want to anyway), she rested her head on her feather pillow so as to at least be comfortable. She just gaped at the ceiling covered in darkness, her mind empty of any thoughts. She rested there for what felt like hours, but in actuality was only minutes, when she felt the same pressure in her head again. It was so sharp she winched her eyes in surprise. She placed her hand over the stump of one of her horns, trying to make it stop. She sat up again.

This feeling. She knew it all too well. A diclonius. And a powerful one too. Whoever it was, they were close. Her eyes darted from side to side, her mind set and prepared for any sudden attacks, worried they might jump out from her own closet. _Your just being paranoid_, she told herself, _It's probably just Nana._ But Lucy knew this already to not be true. Not only was Nana's aura less potent then this, but Lucy would have recognized it at once. This one was unknown to her. Another burst of pressure in her head confirmed it. This was someone else. Her mind was now a jumble of questions and anxiousness. Who was this person? What were they doing here? Where they after her? Did Kakuzawa send another one after her? All these questions and more jumped at her at once. Instincts told her to ignore it. And yet by some force, she felt bound to investigate.

_What are you thinking_, she thought, knowing the notion was down right crazy and against better judgment. Yet curiosity seemed to drive her, overriding her logical senses. reaching out with her own ability, she tried to get an exact location of where the feeling was coming from. _The beach._ Without full knowing why, she was getting up, changing out of her night clothes, and checking the time and calculating how long it would take for her to get to the beach and back before anyone noticed. On tiptoes she walked down the stairs, careful not to wake anyone up. Every creek in the floorboard had never sounded so loud to Lucy before now. As she got downstairs, as an extra precaution she left a note in the kitchen telling whoever woke up first that she went out for an early morning walk, hoping no one would worry.

Putting her shoes on at the door, Lucy stepped out into the breezeless morning. Even though it was still summer and there wasn't any wind, Lucy felt a chill creep up her body starting at the soles of her feet and all the way to the crown of her skull, engulfing the entirety of her. She wondered if this was an ill omen of some kind. A warning. She stood still for a moment under the stream of stars above her, looking back and forth between the two doors contemplating whether or not she should check this out or not. Finally making up her mind, she set off at a trot for the beach. _I just know I'm going to regret this._


	7. Chapter 7

"She's on here way here," Tomo said, looking into the distance as he felt the unmistakable presence of Lucy coming ever closer to where he and Bandoh were. "We'd better get ready and into position," he advised. He turned to find his "partner" playfully aiming his gun at imaginary enemies and making his own gunshot sound effects. The scene resembled that of a child playing with a toy, which sent a peculiarly sick lurch in Tomo's stomach. It was clear to see that he was getting excited, and that he had not heard a word Tomo said. Tomo repeated himself, speaking louder so as to be heard over Bandoh's childlike behavior. Bandoh stopped instantly, face flushing a little in the dark.

"It's party time," Bandoh cheered, cocking the gun for emphasis.

"Remember the plan. I'll be hiding over there, ready to help if things get...messy," he said, indicating with his finger toward a group of nearby crates.

"Don't worry," Bandoh answered defiantly, "I don't plan on losing to that bitch again."

"Of course," Tomo replied with a polite bow of the head. He watched as the human smiled another obnoxious grin, going through some ridiculous looking warm up, still blissfully unaware of Tomo's true intention. Now sitting behind the crate, and out of sight, he pulled out the gun from the back of his jeans pants and cradled in lightly in his hands like it was some fragile infant he did not wish to drop. _This is going to be interesting._

* * *

By the time Lucy arrived at the beach, the sun was only just starting to rise out of the ocean horizon. The sounds of the waves and blending colors of the sky, usually calming, were now oddly ominous in the given circumstances of the empty shore. She paced cautiously down the steps and onto the beach, the sand crunching underneath her steps. Taking long looks to her left and then her right, she saw no indication that a diclonius, or anybody else or that matter, was anywhere nearby. Unsure why she even came in the first place, Lucy turned over excuse after excuse in her mind while making her way here. If someone else was still after her, and especially if it was another diclonius, then she had to deal with them. Otherwise it might put the others, and Kohta, in danger. That was what she told herself anyway. But that was just a cheap way to reconcile coming. She knew that the truth of the matter was that the real force driving her to this unknown, and possibly dangerous feeling, was plain old curiosity. And what was that old saying about curiosity. _Best no to go there._

Standing in the tide as the waves spread over her ankles, feeling certain this was where the feeling was coming from, Lucy was starting to become confused. Now that she was here, the feeling had vanished. Gone as mysteriously as it had came. She took two more glances to her sides, afraid she was being deceived into a false sense of security, or maybe she might have missed something. Nothing. Lucy wondered now if she had imagined the whole thing and wasted a trip for nothing more then an aftereffect of a bad dream. Feeling foolish, she almost turned to leave when she felt another sensation, though different from the one that brought her here. It was a primal sort of feeling in nature. She felt like she was in danger. Instincts taking over, she dived to the right side just as a soft POP reverberated in the air and a single bullet struck where she had just been, kicking up a pillar of sand. Rolling onto her back and then to her knees, she looked at who assaulted her.

"Remember me bitch," said a voice spiced with hate, clearly astonished and upset she had dodged the first attack. He stepped out from behind a large crate he used as a vantage point, aiming a gun level with her heart. Lucy's eyes widened with recognition.

"YOU!"

Bandoh shot off two more bullets, their sound muffled by the silencer. Lucy rolled out of their path before they hit the ground. Stumbling to her feet, she predictably ran for the area strewn about with things she could use for protection. She ducked behind another large crate, breathing heavy and a survival adrenaline washing over her. She listened to his slow approaching footsteps, each step mirroring the beating of her heart.

"Come on, don't you wanna play," he called out to her. She remained still and silent, determined to stay hidden as long as she could. "Oh I get it, hide and seek right? Come out, come out, where ever you are." He spoke every word with an icy precision. Piercing her skin and attacking her soul. And not for the first time in a long while, Lucy again feared for her life. _I knew I shouldn't have come here._

* * *

If Bandoh wasn't so focused, he may have noticed that Lucy no longer had her horns. But all else was now forcibly cast out of his mind. He stalked his prey through the maze of shipping boxes, drum barrels, old abandoned fishing boats and nets, and other pieces of debris, taking his sweet time as he did. He could end this quickly and easily if he wanted to, but where was the fun in that? He was going to juice as much entertainment out of this as humanly possible. Now acute to the smallest hints of sound and movement, an attribute derived from years of training and service in various military organizations, he waited. Craning his head around every possible hiding place, Bandoh remembered with vivid detail each humiliating defeat handed to him by that little horned bitch. How he lost both his eyes and a hand to her. How she insulted him by letting him live both times. But this time would be different. This time it was his turn. _Third times the charm._

Footsteps behind him, and he swiftly turned firing his gun just as a foot disappeared behind more debris, missing by inches. "What's the matter, don't you want to fight anymore," he spat, getting frustrated. After patiently waiting for this moment, she wasn't even making it fun by facing him head on. He calmed himself, knowing he needed to keep a level head if he wanted to beat her. He wasn't going to underestimate her this time.

"Big bad ass bitch not up to snuff anymore," he provoked, hoping to coax her out of hiding. "What happened to that killing machine I know and love? I brought you all the way out here just to say hi!" Bandoh continued to berate her as he peered around every edge. He could at least enjoy taunting her. More movement, and Bandoh fired more bullets, barely missing her again. _Keep on running_, he thought to himself, _You'll run out of hiding spots eventually. And I can keep this up all day._

* * *

Lucy ducked her head as she dashed behind a wooden boat, more bullets flying, wanting to get as far from her attacker as she could. She didn't know how he did it, but somehow he had managed to lure her here with something the closely resembled that of a diclonius aura. Perhaps he had some machine tucked away that could do such a thing. Either way, she had been fooled. It was unimportant to think about it now. She had more pressing matters to attend to. Surviving for one, which wouldn't last long if she kept this up. She could rap her mind around the mystery of it after she got out alive. Looking ahead, she saw that the debris ran out soon, leaving only another long patch of beach and sand. She was going to run out of places to hide. She listened to his raving and taunting, using the sound of his voice to tell how close he was and whether she could risk moving. He was getting closer.

For a moment Lucy considered running back the opposite way, but Bandoh was now upturning every empty space he came across with his enhanced hand. Making her only other escape route completely and utterly useless. _Doesn't he ever quit._ An old anger was starting to bubble inside her. She had been kind enough to spare his petty life twice. Something she didn't too often back in the day. And both times he had repaid her with another assault on her life. Even worse was that this was nothing more then a personal vendetta on his part. It had nothing to do with her being a diclonius. She was sick of it. Sick of being hunted, of hiding behind trash, and mostly, she was sick of him. Why couldn't they all just leave her alone? _You want to die so badly, so be it. _Her mind set, she quickly accessed her situation. She knew she had at least one advantage over him. As long as he didn't surprise her, she could deflect his bullets easily with her vectors. And he'd run out of ammo sooner or later.

Gingerly she looked around the barrel her back was pressed tightly against to see Bandoh walking precariously close. He was silent again, his back turned as he looked behind a crate. Seizing the opportunity, Lucy jumped to her feet from behind the barrel running at her fullest speed, ramming her whole body into the back of him. The both of them fell to the ground and tumbled, their arms and legs hitting several objects. One of Lucy's legs hit the edge of a steel crate, now brandishing a bleeding gash on her calf. Having no time to think about the pain in her leg, she got to her feet first after they both stopped rolling, Bandoh reaching for his gun which he lost grip of, more bullets beating the sand just as Lucy dived behind a wooden boat.

"COME OUT OF HIDING AND FUCKING FACE ME YOU GUTLESS BITCH!" His frustration was apparent and at a paramount. _Good_, Lucy thought. If he was agitated, then he was more likely to make a mistake or get sloppy. Using her vectors, she picked up a drum barrel close by and hurled it at him. It was pointless however. All these items were too big and he was effortlessly seeing it being lifted in the air by nothing and dived out of the way just as easily. She hounded him with this tactic though anyway. He was out of range of her vectors now, and at least she could keep him concentrated on avoiding her throws and not on shooting her.

Bandoh continued his own impromptu tactics, firing in random directions as he came out of his dive rolls, hoping to get a lucky shot. After so many minutes of this back and forth combat, Lucy decided it was time to end this. Giving him one last hurl of debris, she stood up from behind where she was hiding. There was no other way to end this quickly. She had run through almost every other possible choice, but this was the only realistic one. The two looked directly at one another, her eyes reverting to the same deathly expression she wore last time they met. She didn't budge so much as a centimeter.

"Oh, and I was just starting to have fun," Bandoh said trying to sound disappointed. He too was unmovable. He aimed his gun directly at her. "What are you going to do huh? You can't get me from way over there, and if you take one more step I'll put a fucking bullet in your brain." Lucy said nothing, unaffected by these treats. "If you surrender, I might kill you quickly. _Might_." Again Lucy remained mute. She stepped forward, moving slowly among what was left of the crates and barrels. Neither one was showing any signs of feeling threatened, both radiating the same strict confidence. The sounds of the environment around fell on deaf ears to the two of them. And then it happened like lightning.

Just as the heel of Lucy's foot came down just before two meters, Bandoh fired another round. Lucy extended her vectors to block it, but it just flew through the invisible hand as if it weren't there at all. Flying so fast she was unaware of this, the bullet skidded the side of Lucy's head, throwing her back and rolling her to the shore. Thoroughly bewildered, Lucy brought a hand to her head, a patch of red at her finger tips when she brought it back to inspect it. Her head felt like it was split in half, her brain still vibrating from the impact inside her skull.

"Shit! I missed," Bandoh said, standing three meters from her for precautionary sake. "Looks like you lost your edge girl. Now, it's over bitch." Lucy tried to find something to use as a projectile, but anything of significance was out of range, including Bandoh himself. It was over. She had lost, and was now about to die. Bandoh replaced the empty mag with a fresh one, tossing the empty one behind him. Lucy closed her eyes and braced herself for death. _It's what I deserve anyway._ In the darkness of her shut eyes, she could think of only one thing she would truly miss. _Kohta, I'm so sorry. _As if with her minds eye, she could clearly visualize the gun finding its target in the middle of her forehead as Bandoh basked in the moment. "Game over bitch. You lose." Then there was a loud BANG.

* * *

Bandoh dropped the gun, grasping his shoulder which was now pouring of his own blood as pain coursed through his veins. Another shot, and this time the bullet hit his leg, sending Bandoh to the ground. Unsure of what happened, Bandoh turned to find where the shots had originated. Standing with a 9mm pistol gripped firmly in his hands, smoke seeping out its barrel...was Tomo?! Surely this was some kind of sick joke. But the conviction on Tomo's face said otherwise, and soon the truth became known to Bandoh. He had been played. _He planned this. That little mother fucker betrayed me. _His anger was rising to new levels of intensity, levels never before felt by him. Feelings stronger even then what he felt toward Lucy. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR THIS YOU LITTLE SHIT!" That was what he wanted to say. But before the words could pass from thought and to his lips, Tomo pulled the trigger again, sending a bullet right between Bandoh's eyes, a red mist glittering the breeze. Bandoh, the great soldier and mercenary, was dead.

* * *

Lucy's eyes were transfixed on the black haired stranger, at a complete loss for words about what just transpired. He continued to point the gun at the unmoving body of the mercenary, his body frozen like time had stopped. Leisurely he lowered his gun, the morning sun casting a heroic yet haunting glow about him. He looked at her, holding her gaze before rushing over to her, a look of genuine concern now on his face.

"Are you ok," he asked quickly. Lucy did not answer. Too many questions were now weighing down on her for her to be able to vocalize a reply. Not to mention the shock that still rattled her. Not appearing to need an answer, he rolled up the pants leg of Lucy's hurt leg to examine the wound.

"Does this hurt," he asked pressing down on her leg. She winched slightly.

"A little," she answered finally, unable to stay silent any longer under the sting.

"Well it looks like the wound isn't to deep. Still you shouldn't put too much weight on it for a while." He unrolled her pants and then went to closely look at the cut on her head, which was still bleeding a little. After carefully examining it, he spoke again. "It just grazed you a little. You should be fine. Your very lucky you know that," he said smiling at her. "Can you stand?"

He stood up and extended his hand to help her up. Lucy was taken completely aback by this unfamiliar, chivalrous kindness. Especially in a complete stranger.

"I think so," she replied plainly as she took his hand into hers and he pulled her to her feet. She tried to walk, but after one step, buckled under the scathing pain of her leg. The stranger quickly caught her and raised her arm over his shoulder.

"Maybe I should help," he said with a smile, and what Lucy thought she saw as a slight blush. Carrying half her weight, he lead her up the beach where, at a garbage bin, he deposited the gun.


	8. Chapter 8

Lucy's arm was draped over the shoulder of the stranger as they crawled along the sidewalk path. Giving half her weight to him, which was making it difficult for them to walk in a straight line, they stumbled to the side every few steps. Thankfully, the inhabitants of the city were still in their homes, leaving it deserted. This spared the two of them a very peculiar explanation as to why Lucy looked like she had just been in a brutal fight, and would no doubt cause them a great deal of trouble. As the pregnant silence between them grew, Lucy now turned her thoughts back to the battle at the beach with Bandoh. Turning it over again and again in her aching mind, she recognized several missed opportunities. Able to think now without the obtrusion of battle, she noticed many times when she had failed to use vectors to exploit an opening that could have ended the battle sooner, and probably with less injury on her part. She inwardly kicked herself. Bandoh was right, she had lost her edge. And however much she hated to admit it, that prospect bothered her strangely enough.

"What was that about back there," he asked cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Beats me," she answered untruthfully. She was afraid this question might come up and decided not to tell him more then he needed to know. The silence resumed itself, Lucy only opening her mouth to speak to guide him with directions. He moved with an odd swiftness, despite the extra strain of carrying Lucy. Almost as if he knew where he was going.

"So what's your name," he broke the silence again as the reached the tall granite steps.

"Lucy," she said dully, "And yours?" In actuality she didn't much care to know what his name was. She had only asked out of convention.

"Tomo."

Lucy's body went limp for a second, falling to her knees and dragging them both down slightly, Tomo using all his strength to keep himself and Lucy level. That name. It hit her with the monumental force of a freight train.

"Are you ok," the stranger asked, looking puzzled. She looked into his face, but it wasn't his face she saw. The ghostly apparition of a dark haired young boy appeared before her eyes, a jeering scowl glaring back at her. A face bound to taunt her for eternity. Shaking her vision free of the image, it was once again possessed by the man who had saved her at the beach, his lips curled in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," was her simple reply.

* * *

Kohta was starting to get worried that Lucy had not returned yet. The kitchen was abound with its usual clattering of sounds sound from rattling plates, running water, and the television turned on in the opposite room, currently turned onto the morning news discussing the death of a man found dead of an aneurysm two days earlier. Lucy had gotten up before any of them and left a note telling them she'd gone out for a walk. Normally, this wouldn't be cause for concern to Kohta, but something felt out of place. Lucy was prone to take long walks, but she always stayed close by the house. It was already past breakfast and she still had yet to return. It shouldn't take this long to walk around the block once or twice. The fact that Lucy almost never got up before the others only served to fuel his concern. Kohta tried telling himself he was just being paranoid, that Lucy could have only just left, but was unable to ignore the sinking feeling he had in the pit of his belly.

"Are you ok," Yuka asked, placing a stack of dirty dishes on the counter by the sink. Kohta had been starring dreamily into the plate he was still washing despite its perfect shine.

"I'm fine...it's just," he started, returning back to cleaning the new stack of plates Yuka had just brought him. He was unsure how to voice his concerns. "I'm just worried about Lucy. She hasn't come back yet," he said simply. Yuka's face contorted in what Kohta thought was a grimace before it retorted back to her motherly smile.

"I'm sure she's fine." She walked up beside Kohta and began assisting him by washing the pots and pans. The two stood side by side in silence. Only the scrubbing of the plates and the water from the faucet could be heard. When Yuka spoke again, Kohta could barely hear her as she talked barely above a whisper. Her face was sullen. "Hey Kohta," she paused. Kohta blushed, fearing he had an idea where this question would go.

Wanta began barking happily, signaling that someone was at the door. Kohta's spirits instantly lifted, knowing it had to be Lucy back from her stroll. Forgetting about the dishes and eager to avoid Yuka's question, he briskly walked for the door just as it was sliding open. _That dog is better then a doorbell._

"Welcome back. Where'd you go off t-," he stopped mid breath. Before him was the sight of Lucy hanging off the shoulder of some boy he had never seen till this moment, her leg and head trickling steady drips of blood. Both Lucy and this boy looked extremely exhausted. There was a pause as Kohta tried to analyze what he was looking at.

"Um," the boy spoke, "A little help...please."

* * *

Kohta, Yuka, Nana, and Mayu all listened intently as the boy named Tomo recounted for them what happened while Lucy washed up in the bathroom and bandaged her wounds, having refused assistance from both Mayu and Yuka. Tomo took a sip from his cup of tea, which he willingly accepted, before returning to his story. According to him, he was walking by the shoreline when he heard some kind of commotion. Going down to investigate, he saw a bedeviled looking man attacking a pink haired girl. As he got closer to try and help he found a discarded gun. Assuming that it once belonged to the attacker, and hoping it still had some ammo, he picked it up and ran over to them. Without a thought in his head, he shot the man the moment he was close enough. Appearing to weak to walk home on her own, he offered to escort her and to help carry her. As he finished, they all continued to look at him, a stunned quiet between them and taking in everything he said.

"That's quite a hard story to swallow," Yuka said sounding unconvinced.

"Well that's what happened," Tomo retorted defensively.

"Could you describe the man who attacked her please," Kohta asked. Listening to Tomo describing the man with short brownish blonde hair, Kohta thought he sounded vaguely familiar. After all the details fell into place, comprehension hit Kohta as he slammed his clenched fist on the table. "Dammit, it was that soldier guy again! It has to be!" Kohta's anger dissipated through the atmosphere as the room fell uncomfortably silent.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking," Mayu asked tentatively, finally breaking the silence, "Why did you shot him? Couldn't you have stopped him without killing him?" Tomo lowered his head as though he was ashamed to look at them directly.

"I don't know," he said weakly, "Just instincts I guess. She was in danger so I just...did it."

"Where did you come from," Yuka questioned him, sounding more suspicious then intended. He didn't answer at first, instead continuing to look at the carpet, like he was weighing how much he should tell them. Lucy had strolled into the room unnoticed during the moments hesitation and sat down next to Kohta, a gauze pad taped to her head. After another moments quiet, he raised his gaze to them again.

"I've been on my own for a while now. When I was young my parents just abandoned me for some reason. I'm not sure why, but one day they just dropped me off in the woods and never came back."

"Why would they doing something like that," Mayu asked sympathetically, looking horror struck that someone would do something so cruel to a child.

Tomo shrugged. "I don't know. I had no other family and I wasn't going to stay at an orphanage. So I started walking. I've been traveling from town to town ever since. Staying here for a few days, scrounging up some food and other supplies I need to survive. Then I move on." He finished his story with an unusual calm and apathy.

"Doesn't that bother you," Yuka inquired. Tomo stroked his chin in deep thought, looking like he never even considered this before now.

"Not really. I was upset at first but," he pasued, "You get used to it." There was something tragic in that final statement he made. With a single motion, Kohta stood up, a fierce determination lining his face.

"Can I talk to you guys for a moment," he asked as he held the door handle. One by one the others got to their feet and followed Kohta out onto the landing of the staircase by the old clock, leaving Tomo in the dining room. Kohta waited to speak until they all huddled into a circle, the enclosed space keeping in their whispers.

"I think we should let him stay here."

"WHAT," Yuka yelled, or at least as loud as a whisper would permit to get her shock across. Everyone held equally stunned looks at his suggestion, all but Lucy, whose gaze was still held by the closed door. "Are you crazy," Yuka finished.

"Why not," Kohta whispered, surprised by her reaction.

"Kohta, we can't afford to have another person stay here." She said this apprehensively, as if she were trying to get a ignorant person to understand the situation. "We can barely afford all our expenses as it is." Everything, from the essentials of living to the luxuries of it, had been coming from the money Yuka's parents sent them monthly, and the money Kohta had inherited from his father. And the cost for five people and one pet living together was, needless to say, an expensive arrangement.

"Oh we should have enough," Kohta said hopefully, "And it's not like we don't have enough rooms. We still have that one room left we're not using." Yuka tried to speak, but was unable to find a retort to this. Her eyes looked defiant, but her body swayed in uncertainty. "What do you girls think," he asked looking at the others hoping for some support.

"I think we should let him stay," Mayu chimed in instantly after Kohta finished, "I mean...it's not like he has any place else to go right?" Neither Nana or Lucy looked eager to give their opinion, as Nana looked at the floor and Lucy had still to divert her eyes from the door.

"Well," Kohta prompted.

"I think so," Nana said, but didn't elaborate further. Everyone now looked to Lucy like hers was the deciding vote. She only looked back toward the dining room, unknowing or uncaring to everyone's stares. She finally turned her head to face the cramped group. Her face was the usual colorless, expressionless painting it had always been these days.

"Me too," she said unconvincingly. The clock ticked loudly beside them, counting the tension between the group. Yuka still did not look persuaded, her eyes looking skeptically into every ones faces.

"Come on. He did save Lucy after all," Kohta pushed. Yuka's eyes wavered as she breathed in a long breath and let it out slowly.

"Alright, alright," she finally said, raising her hands in consent. Kohta clapped his hands in finality, looking like a coach breaking up a team huddle. Then he lead them all single file back into the room where Tomo sat gazing into the emptiness of his tea cup. He didn't look up until they were all sitting back down. Kohta looked directly at him, a comforting smile starting to emerge.

"We want you to stay here with us," he said bluntly. Tomo starred perplexedly back at him. Kohta was enjoying his surprise reaction to their offer.

"I can't," Tomo said, getting up and trying to head for the door. Kohta got up and walked briskly over to grab his wrist before he could reach the handle, stepping over Yuka and Nana to get there. "I don't want to be any trouble," Tomo said before Kohta could speak.

"Don't worry," he assured him, "We have plenty of room."

"But we do have one condition," Yuka stood up and declared instantly after Kohta finished his sentence. "If you stay here, you have to help out with the house work. That's just the way we do things," she added with a motherly conclusiveness. Tomo was silent for a moment, contemplating this stipulation.

"Ok." Everyone around gave him a welcoming smile, Yuka's looking only half hearted and Lucy's even weaker.

"Alright, it's decided. Now lets get you set up," Kohta said, giving Tomo a friendly pat on the back.

* * *

Sitting up in his newly and simply furbished room, with only a small bed and a pile of clothes Kohta had lent him in the far corner, everyone else slept soundly as Tomo sat on the cushion of his bed, feeling immensely proud of himself. Everything was going so well at the moment. Not even a day had passed before he found Lucy and concocted a plan to obtain her. Then the next day he enacted his plan, which worked out perfectly as he had envisioned it. And now he sat here, in her house, everyone completely unaware of who he really was. Again, exactly as he had planned. He was particularly proud of the story he had fed them, all of its details which had been conjured up at that very moment they had asked him.

_**Such a heartfelt performance**_, the voice joked at him.

"I know," he joked back, "I should be an actor shouldn't I." Tomo imitated holding an invisible statue, putting own an overly expressive face of someone fraught with both extreme elation and emotion. "I'd like to thank the academy for this award. You like me. You really like me."

Now able to relax for a moment from his role playing, Tomo thought back to Lucy. All her features appeared as perfect and clear as a photo in his head as he worshipped her in every elegant detail that made her radiant. She surpassed everything he had thought she'd be. Even though she held herself back before, he could sense a power withering her. Sleeping. A vicious animal begging to be released from its cage. And she was even more attractive then he could ever have hoped. Her angelic looks made even more so by her tragic demeanor. She was like a mix between both demon and angel. The perfect combination of both power and loveliness. Tomo wished to keep this image in his mind all night, but the voice spoke again, Lucy vanishing into mist as it did so.

_**What is your plan now**_, it asked. Tomo hated the voice for interrupting him, but knew the question had its merit.

"I'll just sit back and wait. Observe them until I find someway to break them apart."

_**What is your meaning?**_

"It's obvious that they are all close to one another," Tomo explained, "The best way I see to get Lucy to come over to me," he paused to let the power of it sink in, "is to break the bonds that tie them together. Make them hate each other." Tomo loved the sneakiness and deception he would have to implore to achieve such a goal. Two-faced...perhaps. But they were only humans after all. Who cared what they felt or thought. And Number 7 was a factor he neither worried or cared about. Lucy, however, would surely understand him for his use of such methods.

_**Then she will freely come to you once you tell her what you are**_, the voice finished.

"Exactly." Crossing his legs comfortably and cupping his hands on his lap, Tomo closed his eyes and fell into a meditative trance.


End file.
